I am a big BP shopper. I've credited their archery staff team for their support, oufitting me, and their professionalism. In defense to individuals, these team members at my local BP store do not reflect the chain as a whole. They have minority staff. I am Mexican, yes..., born in Mexico, a naturalized citizen, and I say God Bless America and Thank you Bass Pro Shop in St. Louis, MO. IMO, I don't doubt there may be room for improvement, but isn't that in America as a whole. I won't let a few bad apples ruin my image of BP nor the image of this wonderful country. Hope to see something in D&DH relating (or at least addressing) to this subject. Adios and Gracias Amigos!

I hope the truth comes out either way...too many companies have the good ol' boy mentality ,and racial stereotypes are sadly still believed to be true by a few...i havent met a man yet that i could judge by the color of skin..or the language that he speaks...

The shredding of documents or ''losing them conviently'' does imply some guilt...what a shame ---

It goes on I'm sure...I mean I've gone to Basspro...Gander Mnt and Dicks ...and have yet to see a woman standing behind one of the bow or gun sales counters...and unless I am aggressive they avoid waiting on me...so yep I'm sure it's across the board....too bad

msbadger, I do not defend the sexism, but I do understand it all too well. The largest percentage of gun buyers is, by far, men. It has been that way from the caveman times. men were the ones with weapons to defend the women, and children, to hunt, and to make war. Therefore, what would a woman know about weapons? For a 300lb guy who has been hunting or firing guns long enough to get familiar, but not long enough to be expert, to ask questions on trigger pull, performance, compatibility, best choice of parts, manufacture, warrentees, knockdown, wound track, camo patterns, and all the other stuff that comes up when discussing guns and hunting, with some one who could be his mother or daughter is a little disconcerting. I look at it a little differently, I know it is hard for a woman to be accepted in a man's traditional role, therefore, if she is there, she must be pretty damn good at it! My wife has zero interest in guns, hunting, or even putting up with my interest in it. She TOLERATES it. I could not discuss any aspect of it with her. It seems to be in our DNA to dismiss women from weapon discussions. I found myself doing it at a computer store, when a childlike waif offered to solve my computer problem! She could not have been taller than 4 foot, well proportioned, but so elflike, I could not take her seriously! I just could not get past her appearance to her mind. It was as if my dog had started reciting poetry in Latin! I:m not proud of it, but understand, that being a woman with a keen interest in hunting, guns, bloodtrailing, killing things with faces, that puts you in a very small (but growing) minority. I would like to see more women enjoying the things I do, but you are the exception, not the rule.

The only real difference between a good tracker and a bad tracker is observation. All the same data is present for both. The rest is understanding what you are seeing.

Wow kudos for your honesty...wondering what state your from for here in my area of NYS with in a 3 mile radius I know 12 woman that hunt and half of that as hard or harder than their male counterparts....note...I really don't know that many ppl around here so those #'s could be much higher.....and five of us at least have been doing so for a better part of 40 yrs I find it difficult to believe that it's not similar in a good portion of hunting areas across the country....we've just learned to go to smaller gun and bow shops where we can walk in ask for specific things and we're not dismissed...but men are men in all sales positions...I walked into a car dealership with the kids...told the salesmen exactly what I wanted...and he told me to come back with my husband...I sat the kids down asked for the manager and told him to bring the sales rep in...then explained in no uncertain terms how badly they lost a sale and that I would so be spreading the word..well how the tune changed...too little too late

I went to school 2 years to train as a welder...upon successfully passing all requirements I applied for a welding position where I worked....the next day I was told some ppl fit in and others don't...I had a husband to take care of me and the other guy had a family to take care of...I actually made the guy say I was fired ...though he tried not to...then explained NYS unemployment would be calling in 45min....they did and then gave me the option of starting to collect immediately or going back to where I was just fired...What? so they could find a different excuse to get rid of me?...See I was a certified welder ...and the guy was just someone that had been welding part time for them....they would have had to hire me over him because of qualifications

See I'm no Gloria Stienman (sp) but when a person ...any person has the ability or knowledge to do something then they deserve the respect accorded them for those abilities...weather woman ..man ...blk... wht...yellow...or brown

Absolutely! Then explain quota systems to me in small words, so my knuckle dragging mind can keep up! I want the best qualified person bar none in the right job. When my house is on fire, I want the biggest, strongest, best trained firefighter caring my unconscious body, or my wife or child, to safety or medical care. I don't want the top percentage of each class of minority! I want the best qualified, period! The job should pick the person, not the job should be changed to fit someone with less qualifications. I know female cops, and female firefighters that could kick my butt! And more power to them, they deserve the job, and they train for it well. I have full faith in their abilities, and their skills. But quotas are too PC, they are just worried about what it looks like, not what it is. I do not care, what color, sex, religion, or nationality, but I care about the quality of the work. Not their feelings on the matter. It used to be, that if you wanted to work, you went where the work was, and followed it if it moved. You had to prove your abilities, or someone else got the job. Not anymore! Now some will apply for a job they do not quite fit, and will sue if they fail to get it, or sue to have the job changed to fit their disability, or their religion, or their size and strength. You may be the best welder in your state, but I will bet, you would make a poor Sumo Wrestler. Will you sue to have the job changed, because of FATISM? There are those who will and do. They forced the BOY scouts to accept girls, but the will not allow boys in the GIRL scouts. there are women only health clubs, but men can't have them. I have considered, applying to VICTORY FITNESS ( a women only) health club just to show how one sided this issue is in real life. You want discrimination? Try being a white, middleclass male. Every minority has their preferential treatment before you do. That is what quotas do. they lift the unqualified to take the position of a more qualified worker. And they use your sex, religion, and skin color, to do it. As to the number of women hunters, I would have to say, that has more to do with where you live, and your life style. I personally, do not recall 1 female hunter in my entire area. It is very rare to run across one in the field, and the few places I do run a cross them is Gander MT. I would like to see more of them here in Ohio. But, if she brings her purse and her high heels, I will not make allowances for her. I love women, but they want to be treated with preference, and be treated equal. The two will not mix. To those of you who stand tall and strong, a partner in more than name, My hat is off to you with respect, not just courtesy.

The only real difference between a good tracker and a bad tracker is observation. All the same data is present for both. The rest is understanding what you are seeing.

I think you went a tad far afield...for this had to do with discrimination in regards to color...and yes I started us down this road by stating and giving examples of how discrimination in some areas is across the board...my bad....to the rest of your response....don't jest about the sumu wrestling for when I worked as a bartender then manager of a few night clubs...being a bouncer fell into that category....let me tell you back then I weighed in at a mere 120 and was able to take out a few heavy and highway and dry wallers.to their absolute surprise...I can take a punch but God can't help the one that throws it ....never judge a book by it's cover...I grew up in a neighbor hood of all boys...self defense was a way of life until you publicly took one of them out I also grew up in a construction family....raking blk top and stone all summer and running backhoes and bulldozers from the age of 12....Perhaps it is just the area I live but when I go to the city to a womans clinic every year, I meet woman hunters from all walks of life and ages...many whom live in the city and suburbs Quotas aren't right in how far they've been abused but men were the ones that caused their existence so many years ago